Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

December 6, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 5.

Arrests

Police arrested a Social Democratic party activist, Dźmitryj Plešavenia, after his return from Latvia for participating in protests, pro-government sources said.

Psychiatrist Maksim Zajcaŭ was arrested for comments about Alaksandr Łukašenka and Brest official Alaksandr Rahačuk; IT engineer Illa Šakiraŭ, for comments allegedly insulting police officers.

Police arrested several people in the Braslav district, Viciebsk region, including Alena Selech and the family of farmers Ułladzisłaŭ and Julia Karol, BPN reported. The reasons for the arrests are unknown. According to preliminary information, women were later released.

Trials

Authorities jailed musicians of The Tor Band, Jaŭhien Burło and Dźmitryj Hałavač from Rahačoŭ, Homiel region, for 15 days for the third time in a row, RFE/RL Belarus Service reported. Authorities reportedly plan to punish them “for every song” and also persecute Rahačoŭ residents who starred in their music videos. Their current jail term expires on December 13.

Criminal proceedings

The Minsk Regional Court sentenced five defendants in the case of People’s Self-Defense Units (OGSB) to large fines and lengthy prison terms ranging from 13 to 20 years, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. They faced a number of terrorism-related charges. Authorities accused Vadzim Hulevič, Kirył Ašurak and Alaksiej Hłotaŭ of attempting to blow up a communication center in Vilejka, Minsk region; Natalla Maćviejeva, of attempted destruction of logging equipment at a forestry farm; Dźmitryj Sasnoŭski, of attempted murder of state television journalist Ryhor Azaronak.

The Mahiloŭ Regional Court upheld the prosecutor’s request to add another year to the prison term for Siarhiej Lalin, previously sentenced to one year for insulting Łukašenka and a public official, Viasna reported.

In November, courts passed guilty verdicts in three other cases for insulting Łukašenka, Viasna said. Alesia Stalarčuk from Brest and Iryna Karatkievič from Homiel received two-year restricted freedom sentences in home confinement each. Uładzimir Saldataŭ from Biaroza, Brest region, received two years of restricted freedom with referral to the open-type correctional facility for 2020 online comments.

Authorities accuse Hienadź Mažejka, a former journalist with Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi of insulting Łukašenka during a public meeting of voters with MP Valer Varaniecki in 2020. Mažejka has been in custody since October 2021 over an article he wrote on the 2021 shootout that left two people dead, IT engineer Andrej Zielcer and a KGB officer. His trial started at the Minsk City Court on December 1.

The Minsk Regional Court has started hearing a case against Vital Melnik behind the closed doors, Viasna reported. Authorities accuse him of an arson attack on the railway’s relay cabinet in March 2022. Police shot Melnik in both knees during his arrest. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Other instances of persecution

Authorities transferred convicted opposition activist Maryja Kaleśnikava from a Homiel hospital back to prison, where she was allowed to see her father, Viktar Babaryka’s campaign reported. She will remain at a prison medical ward for at least 10 more days after being treated for perforated ulcer.

Designated terrorists

The Committee for State Security (KGB) added five people to its register of people involved in terrorism, including Juryj Ziankovič, Anastasija Kuchta and Andrej Harun, whom human rights groups consider political prisoners, BPN reported. The KGB also blacklisted Taćciana Kołas, an insurance company employee, and Illa Smaluha. Both were convicted of inciting hatred. The list currently features 968 names, with 227 Belarusians among them. It also has one German and one Latvian, charged for political reasons in Belarus.

Content blacklisted as extremist

Authorities blacklisted the YouTube Belarusi Telegram channel as extremist content, BPN reported.

As of December 6, human rights defenders identified at least 1,445 political prisoners.